Smart Durability: A Knowledge Database for Fatigue Properties of Thermoplastics

Material scientists at Fraunhofer LBF are enhancing their Smart Durability toolbox by developing algorithms to accurately calculate S/N-curves using a specially developed fatigue database of more than 10,000 tested thermoplastic specimens. This comprehensive resource enables the analysis of how material properties, geometry, manufacturing parameters, and external loads interact with the fatigue strength of thermoplastics.

The Smart Durability toolbox uses well known interactions between material properties, external loads, and local stresses to create an efficient test design that focuses on the relevant parameter. At the same time, other complex interactions are identified. These are used to further develop the Smart Durability toolbox and continuously improve the accuracy of the estimations.

An important result is that there occurs no notch effect under cyclic loading above the glass transition temperature. This means there is no strength reduction due to notches in this range. This insight allows industry users to simplify the testing process at elevated temperatures and to focus on other critical factors, such as media influence and aging effects.

Moreover, it is possible to estimate S/N-curves for varying temperatures, mean stresses, notches, and fiber orientations. This greatly reduces development time and focuses experimental effort on the most impactful influences, all validated by rigorous testing.

The Smart Durability toolbox is particularly helpful when using recycled plastics, as there is already a considerable amount of data on S/N-curves for various types of recycled plastics.

Leverage the expertise of Fraunhofer LBF to develop sustainable plastic components. Our knowledge database is essential for evaluating the durability and reliability of complex systems.